March 2007 ISSUE

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EWB Conference Brings
New Dimension To Engineering

BY BINNU JEYAKUMAR, E.I.T.
PEGG Contributor

The traditional stereotype of an engineer was challenged during the sixth annual Engineers Without Borders National Conference, held Jan. 24 to Jan. 27 at the Westin Hotel in Calgary. Fueled by their passion for human development, speakers eloquently delivered their ideas for social change.

In turn, attendees of the EWB conference demonstrated a deep understanding of the complexities of poverty with high-calibre, thought-provoking questions. Indeed, this conference went beyond your average flip charts and flow diagrams.

Collaboration Day on Jan. 26, which consisted of seminars, keynote addresses and a luncheon, provided a platform for the exploration of social issues pertinent to working professionals. Conference attendance soared to over 600 and most of the 110 professionals registered for Collaboration Day were APEGGA members.

Luncheon coordinator Thulasy Balasubramaniam, E.I.T., said: “It is incredibly encouraging to see so many professionals in attendance (for Collaboration Day). I’m confident that the energy felt during the day will enable EWB build a greater sense of community among engineers and other professionals working in Calgary.”

Collaboration Day sessions saw speakers from a wide range of non-governmental organizations — Engineers Against Poverty, the Pembina Institute, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Allisha Sordi, E.I.T., who works for Stantec, said: “I found the issues brought forth today are becoming increasingly relevant to professionals and the industries in which we work. I feel privileged to have been able to attend Collaboration Day and plan to share my experiences with my colleagues.”

Highlight of the day was the Corporate Social Responsibility Panel, with representatives from Nexen, the UN Global Compact, and the Halifax Initiative taking part. The discussion brought out a clear message that there is a great opportunity for collaboration between development organizations and the private sector, to create win-win situations for all stakeholders.

 A memorable keynote address by Dr. Indira Samarasekera, president of the University of Alberta, concluded this year’s conference. While Dr. Samarasekera reiterated her support of the work of Engineers Without Borders, she also emphasized that “social ingenuity” and the technical expertise of engineers working towards human development can and should complement each other.

She urged academia to “draw from the disciplines in the arts and humanities to create a curriculum for scientists and engineers that results in cultural fluency: the ability to listen, appreciate, adapt, and create productive, sustainable relationships wherever our graduates find themselves working in the world.” Balance is needed to create a better tomorrow, and that is a tomorrow designed, developed and influenced by a new generation of engineers, she said.

The participation of Alberta professionals at this EWB National Conference truly demonstrates the shift taking place in the workforce: engineers are looking for avenues to explore their technical and non-technical skills in a manner that benefits their communities and society as a whole.

In 2004, the EWB Calgary Professional Chapter was established to respond to this growing need. The Calgary Professional Chapter delivers member education sessions and fundraising opportunities for local and overseas projects, and reaches the majority of its members through workplace outreach presentations.
These outreach presentations have been met with great success at companies such as Nexen and Shell, which, along with the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, represented three of the key sponsors of this year’s conference.

A footnote: At the end of the conference, volunteers collected delegate nametags, as they will be re-used at the seventh annual EWB National Conference in Montreal, in January 2008. Delegate nametags were donated by APEGGA.